Internet/on-ship texting question

[kabux]

Cruising end of Feb - I will get internet package for myself but my husband will not use internet EXCEPT to text with me while on board so we can connect/find/update each other.  Is there another option, besides leaving notes?  Is messaging an option on the app (like on carnival)? If so, does it actually work well (unlike carnival)?  Just hate to pay $105 so I can text him a couple times per day.  Thanks!

[Jeter02]

6 minutes ago, kabux said:

Cruising end of Feb - I will get internet package for myself but my husband will not use internet EXCEPT to text with me while on board so we can connect/find/update each other.  Is there another option, besides leaving notes?  Is messaging an option on the app (like on carnival)? If so, does it actually work well (unlike carnival)?  Just hate to pay $105 so I can text him a couple times per day.  Thanks!

On the medallion add you can text your shipmates. Unfortunately The only downfall with the in-app texting is you don't get notifications when someone has messaged you you would have to check the app quite frequently.

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, Jeter02 said:

On the medallion add you can text your shipmates. Unfortunately The only downfall with the in-app texting is you don't get notifications when someone has messaged you you would have to check the app quite frequently.

There was an update to the App so that now there is a notification.  Perhaps someone on a ship now, or who has sailed since early December or so could confirm.  If it is not working, then I suppose we have bug #358.

[Jeter02]

6 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

There was an update to the App so that now there is a notification.  Perhaps someone on a ship now, or who has sailed since early December or so could confirm.  If it is not working, then I suppose we have bug #358.

Now I'm going to test it out in a few weeks. If I knew this prior I would have tested it on the cruise I just came off of. If it does work but the notification that's fabulous. I know what the crew chat you do get the pop-up notifications I just didn't think it worked the same for shipmates. Can't wait to test it. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Jeter02

[strobellayjam]

21 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

There was an update to the App so that now there is a notification.  Perhaps someone on a ship now, or who has sailed since early December or so could confirm.  If it is not working, then I suppose we have bug #358.

On our Christmas sailing, I can confirm that the notification did not work. It made the shipmate chat rather useless in my opinion. Hope they resolved that. 

[mtnesterz]

The easiest and least expensive way to make contact is to use the wall panels, as you say, a couple times a day. Scan your Medallion and then locate cabin mates. You might be right around the corner, but even the biggest ship is not too big to go meet them.

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, strobellayjam said:

On our Christmas sailing, I can confirm that the notification did not work. It made the shipmate chat rather useless in my opinion. Hope they resolved that. 

I thought it was in a Nov App update, but I have no way to test it or review past update notices.  I am not sure, but might have posted it in the sticky thread topic for Medallion Class App.

[Raze]

We just got off the Caribbean Princess to Panama Canal. We briefly used the medallion app texting which worked - I found it notified me, but I didn’t always notice it.

 

The biggest issue is messaging is buried under a menu so it’s not easy to get to.  If you’re use to fast texting, this can be frustrating.  It also can be inconsistent.

 

We have iPhones and iMessage and that gave us a few headaches until we figured it out.  We had to create a text group using our Apple ID email addresses or messages wouldn’t go through to everyone (say when trying to use an associated phone number).  

[strobellayjam]

25 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I thought it was in a Nov App update, but I have no way to test it or review past update notices.  I am not sure, but might have posted it in the sticky thread topic for Medallion Class App.

Unfortunately if it was in the update it didn’t work for my travel party and I. At least not in the same fashion notifications work for my other apps (whereby you view the notification on the phone without having to open the app itself). Nonetheless I still found the chat cumbersome as it was embedded in another menu within the Medalllion App.  

[kabux]

This forum is always so amazing!  Exactly the answers I was looking for - thanks everyone!!!!  I think I will save the $105 - thanks for the reminder I can find him with the medallion, that's usually what we text about so that might be ok!  Happy New Year!

[Rick&Jeannie]

I REALLY hope they have fixed the lack of notification!  That has been an issue since the app was first released.  Now, my idea of a "notification" is just like that of receiving a text; audible PLUS visual.  If it doesn't do both it's just not "up to snuff".

[strobellayjam]

13 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I REALLY hope they have fixed the lack of notification!  That has been an issue since the app was first released.  Now, my idea of a "notification" is just like that of receiving a text; audible PLUS visual.  If it doesn't do both it's just not "up to snuff".

Exactly!

[julie3fan]

On the Discovery last week, there *was* a notification, but it flashed up top, then promptly disappeared, so it was useless unless you happened to be looking at your phone at the exact right moment!

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

The easiest and least expensive way to make contact is to use the wall panels, as you say, a couple times a day. Scan your Medallion and then locate cabin mates. You might be right around the corner, but even the biggest ship is not too big to go meet them.

 

Additionally, the Princess app on a cell phone can be used to locate shipmates.   This is a very cool and potentially helpful feature.   

[MissP22]

I don't know about the update of the medallion app, we gave up on it a few years ago since it didn't offer anything worth while for texting.

The easiest & best thing to do is download the WhatsApp application which offers both texting & voice communication on board even without purchasing an internet package. It does give an audible alert for texts but it's a one time alert and hard to hear over the background noise. 

The phone option works well but I've found that one of it's drawbacks id the microphone pick up to much of the background & unless you're in a quiet location, it's difficult to use. I suppose there's a way to adjust it but I didn't find one while on the ship and just lived with the problem. 

btw- WhatsApp is also useful for transferring photo's and videos between phones.